The essence of our Doing Good vision
We are proud to be a values-driven business, placing core values at the very heart of every aspect of our operations. Our core value of being committed to our communities isn’t just a belief – it’s an action. Through our deep-rooted dedication to making positive changes, we bridge the gap between business transactions and genuine community impact, both locally and oversees.
You can read more about our Doing Good initiatives and their impact at our dedicated website Our Community.
Local initiatives: Making a difference at home
As an Ipswich-based business, we are involved in local initiatives to support the Suffolk community.
The Acorn Fund
The Acorn Fund is our partnership with Suffolk Community Foundation. Since its inception in 2013, grants totalling £50,000 have been awarded to 34 local health and wellness charities and causes. Our staff are involved in all aspects of the partnership, from meeting with and voting on which charities to support, fundraising initiatives and visiting the beneficiaries. An impact analysis carried out in 2021 by Suffolk Community Foundation revealed that our work had positively touched the lives of over 4,000 people, a number which has continued to grow.
Pictured: delivering a cheque for £2,000 to local charity Headway Suffolk to support their art programme.
Read about the causes and charities supported here.
Local charitable support and staff initiatives
We regularly support local charitable initiatives, especially where our staff can get involved. We offer paid volunteering days to our staff so that they can engage directly with the charities they care about most. Recent events supported include the Kesgrave Kruisers 10K in aid of The Acorn Fund (mentioned above) and The Brave Futures Dragon Boat Race (pictured).
Read more about these initiatives here.
Ipswich Sporting Lunch Club
In 2015, we helped establish now co-sponsor the Ipswich Sporting Lunch Club, a SportsAid initiative that raises funds for young sportsmen and women from Suffolk, who aspire to compete at Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and European level. Two lunches, attended by the local business community, take place each year and funds raised support future sporting champions.
Pictured: GB gymnastics legend Beth Tweddle, MBE presenting cheques to Abigail Roper (18) and Charlie Harvey-Lloyd (18), both members of Pipers Vale Gymnastics Club in Ipswich.
Read about the causes and charities supported here.
Overseas: Education and Empowerment in Kenya
In 2015, we established a charity in the UK, The Soma Leo Foundation. Our goal was to fund the construction of a school, The Soma Leo Academy and ensure its sustainable growth and daily operations. Today, our Academy proudly boasts six classrooms, catering to approximately 175 primary-aged students. We also extend our support to neighbouring schools. To find out more about our work in Kenya, visit the charity’s dedicated website Soma Leo.
Lasting change
In the nine years to March 2024 our total support to charities was over £189,000. However, our support goes beyond philanthropy, it’s a commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities. By combining financial contributions, volunteer engagement, resource sharing and advocacy, we foster an environment of compassion and collaboration that uplifts those in need. We are proud to be a catalyst for change. We don’t just contribute – we connect, collaborate and creating lasting change.